Saying Goodbye!

Friday August 12, 2011
exit Shearwater
arrive Lockhart Bay Horsfall Island 52 12.19N, 128 15.47W
This is where we are parting ways with Invictus. It has been so much fun boating along side with them and I am sure we will do it again next summer. But they have to start their journey towards home, and we still have lots of time to play!

I love the colours in this picture... looking towards the mainland coast mountains, just outside Bella Bella.

Our day was pretty uneventful, mostly grey and no wind. Our first stop was at Bella Bella to fill up with fuel and water since they don't have potable water in Shearwater (not sure why not, but that is what they told us).
Our first pick for anchorage, just west of Mallory Islands, was too crowded with fishing charter boats, so we turned around (very tight anchorage) and went a little further on, anchoring in very quiet Lockhart Bay.
Saturday August 13, 2011
Decided to stay another day in this beautiful bay, something we call a home day, where you just stay put. We waited for the rain to stop, and then used the dingy to explore the shore. Not much to report except a very large mass of fishing net and floats caught up on the rocks close to shore. It looked awful, but lots of creatures were making in into a home so we left it alone. Spent most of the day reading and just hanging.

The continuation of our trip.

On a shore in Johnstone Strait, example of what boats plying these waters have to watch out for.

Tuesday August 2, 2011
exit Port McNeill
anchor Walker Group 50 53.91N, 127 05.73W
Engine hrs: 1864 Fuel consumption: 94 lt / 47 hrs.
Sometimes I take a picture and then later look at what I have on my camera and ask myself "wt*?" Not sure what the picture is of or why I took it and on this trip there are a lot of pictures like that. But I know that sometimes I was trying to get the picture of a whale or dolphin and all you see in the photo is blurry water. But I will be posting at least one awesome picture of a whale's tail I was finally able to get.
Anyway, we left PM with full tanks of fuel (136 lt) and water (130 gal). We are going to be ultra conservative with the water because there are three of us on board and we are not quite sure when we will be filling again. Mom is still getting used to how things work on the boat after accidentally leaving the bathroom tap in the on position and draining one water tank while we were motoring under way.
The Walker Group is an almost bomb proof anchorage. Once you get inside you are totally protected from the winds and swells or chop in Queen Charlotte Strait. We usually have the snug little cove to ourselves, but on this night we shared with two commercial fishing boats that tied up to the mooring buoy.

Gettin' ready to go, finally!

After all the work we have had done on Splendid Mane, we are just itching to get going on our trip. Earlier in our blog, I had mentioned we would be sailing north to spend some time around Rivers Inlet and Calvert Island. We are leaving on Tuesday July 26th, yeah!! Splendid Mane is just about ready to go. We started provisioning today and will finish up on Monday night. We will have enough on board to last us for the next 5 or 6 weeks.
Today Jerry changed the oil (1816 hrs) and yesterday Stephen put new zincs on for us. We are fueled up and full of water.
I hope to be posting as often as possible, but once we get past Port McNeil, the internet is pretty sketchy.
Go'in Boating!

Ayy Matey! On to Pirates Cove

Leaving Hardy Island anchorage, fog still laying low, heading out into Georgia Strait.

Wednesday September 8, 2010
Leave Hardy Island 0920
Arrive Pirates Cove 1900
Trip log 713.3
Fuel $60.59 Nanaimo Engine Hrs 1779.7
Water tanks full
What an absolutely beautiful day! It started out with some very thick fog between Texada Island and the mainland, but by 9:00 we could see that it was starting to lift. So we hauled the anchor (no trouble today!) and headed out. The wind did pick up enough to get the head sail up for about 5 minutes, but then nothing. But the sun is out with big white puffy clouds here and there, and a very light breeze, you can't really ask for anything more. We are hoping to pick up our grandson at the Nanaimo fuel dock later today and take him to Pirates Cove, his favorite anchorage.

The damn painter is always getting tangled up! At the dingy dock in Pirates Cove

Pirates Cove is really a great place to take kids! Aiden loves coming on Nana and Papa's boat if "we can go to the treasure box"! At Pirates Cove, they have a real treasure box (someone stole it a few years ago, but the local boaters made a new one to replace it.... can you believe the nerve of someone to steal it?) in which the policy is "take something, leave something". It works great, and Aiden and Papa love combing through the treasure to find something of interest. You never know, sometimes there are even useful items in there!

You can just feel his excitement as he runs to the treasure box, toy in hand to leave behind for another lucky kid.

Dent Island to Port McNeil

Monday August 16, 2010
Leave Dent Island 0800
Arrive Port McNeil 1500
Trip Log 224.2
Fuel: 92 lt Engine hours: 1682 Water tanks full. Propane full.
This is somewhat of an abbreviated post, we are sitting in a laundry mat in Port McNeil and I am hot and getting hungry and so I will continue this a little later....

A smokey haze covers the mountains on Vancouver Island... smoke coming from forest fires in the interior of BC.

After we got settled in at our anchorage near Bent Island, we saw something neither of had seen before, although I am sure it is quite common. A big black bear swam across from one island to the other not far from our boat, a distance of about 100 feet or so. We were so excited, I didn't have time to get my camera out for the picture. We thought it was going to have some trouble getting out of the water since the bank it was aiming for was a sheer rock wall, but it had no trouble at all climbing out. I guess it's long claws can grab a hold of the tiniest cracks in the rocks. So, our first bear of the trip.... we are hoping to see many more. And lots of other wildlife as well.

And they're at the post....... they're off!!

Monday August 9, 2009
Leave our dock, Ladysmith 1330
Trip log: 0nm
Arrive Nanaimo Harbour 1745
Ultimate destination: Seymour Inlet 51 04.98N 127 39.40W

Lots of reading material for our trip.

We are off, FINALLY!! It took us two full days to pack the boat with enough supplies to last us one month. That is a lot of trips down and up the stairs. But, we are one hour into our trip and so far neither Jerry or myself can think of anything we have forgotten.
We will get through Dodd Narrows just before slack so we get a little push with the current. Next stop will be to fill up on diesel and water in Nanaimo, then we can put the anchor down in the harbour and enjoy our reward..... a nice dinner with a glass of wine. Then Splendid Mane will gently rock us to sleep. Saaa-weeet!!!
Welcome to all our followers, we hope you enjoy the trip!
Fuel: 114 lt (with extra gas can) $125.29
Water tanks full.

Jedediah Island to Nanaimo Harbour

GG takes control, and does a very good job. Who ever said seniors are not useful? He he.

Tuesday Sept 22, 2009

Leave: Paul Island anchorage 0830

Clear and sunnnnyyyy again! Perfect weather for being out on the water, but no wind.

Our anchor was caught under another boat's chain, so fortunately, because we have a trip line on our anchor, we were able to untangle his chain from our anchor.

Arrive: Nanaimo Harbour fuel dock 1310

Fill up: engine hours 1598 92 L, $96.55

GG is departing Splendid Mane, heading back to the mainland via BC Ferries, and then on to Barcelona! Happy sailing GG!! Have fun.

We are anchored close by Newcastle Island for the night, probably be at our home dock tomorrow afternoon.

Filling the tanks for our next trip.

Wednesday August 5, 2009

Fuel and water fill: 1555.5 (117 lt @ $.8664)

We're off again... to Barkley Sound... Woof Woof

The 7:00 pm ferry leaving Sidney Harbour.

Wednesday July 8, 2009

Leave: Our dock 1245

Trip log: 0.0nm

Our first stop will be fuel and water in Chemainus.

Fuel: 82 lt $76.57 Hours: 1479

Water: both tanks full.

Through Sansum Narrows, around the south end of Saltspring Island to Portland Island.

The winds were either right on our nose or non existant all day, so we have had to run the motor. Once we get the anchor down it will be nice to listen to the peace and quiet.

Arrive: Portland Island, Princess Bay 2000

Trip log: 30.4 nm

Portland Island was given to Princess Margaret (1958) as a gift, but then in 1967 she gave it back to the province to make into a marine park. Another island that is very close by, Brackman Island is a nature reserve created by The NCC.

North Cove to Ladysmith Harbour

Tuesday December 2, 2008

Lv: North Cove 0800

We are heading to Chemainus to fill with diesel, then heading north to Ladysmith

Fuel: 89 L, $88.10, hours on engine 1434

Arrive: our dock, Ladysmith Harbour 1230

Trip Log: 1384

It is always good to be home again, but we enjoy our boat so much that we are already planning the next trip.... looks like Victoria for Christmas.....

Fill up in Maple Bay:
110 lt $1.48 1379 hrs.

Zeballos, Vancouver Island

Fog just lifting in Queen Cove

Saturday June 28
Depart: Queen Cove 0900
Clear blue sky, 15 C! It is our most beautiful day yet!
Arrive: Zeballos 1300
Fuel: 88L $150.50 Hrs: 1253
Propane in small tank, both water tanks full.
This is our provisioning, fueling, watering and laundry stop. We also treated ourselves to dinner (really yummy halibut and chips) out at the local pub... the only place in town, really! We enjoyed the company of the guys from the Essex Girl (another Benneteau ), Chester, Neil and Rob. They are from West Van and are also circumnavigating the island, although I think they are moving a bit faster than we are.

Inch'n our way up the island

Monday June 9
Depart: Otter Island secret anchorage 0640
Stop: Refuge Cove for fuel 50L @ $1.58!!! (that is $6.32 for a US gallon for all my family stateside, so quit your belly achin) Hours on engine: 1173
Arrive: Bickley Bay 1700
Lat: 50 26.69 Lon: 125 23.63
It has been raining ALL day but we are very dry and comfortable on our little boat.
Trip log: 142.6 nm


We pulled up the prawn trap this morning and there was absolutely nothing in it, not even a piece of seaweed or jelly fish! Oh well, I think we need to put it down deeper. We are hoping that we get all our rainy weather out of the way before we get over to the west coast. It really hasn't been that bad, we are on the Wet Coast after all.